Original brake/clutch fluid resevoir finish

[Sal Gerace]

Does anyone know how the original brake/cluch fluid resevoirs were finished. I have seen them chromed, painted, natural, 1/2 painted top natural?

[Rick Parker]

Black painted

[double ugly]

Just like these

or this.

[Jim Maxwell]

From the photos I have of several original unrestored Cobras, I agree with Double Ugly. Black paint (although not much paint is left on the original cars). The reservoirs I have photos of are all smaller than those shown above, but perhaps the S/C cars had the larger reservoirs? I haven't found any photos yet of an original S/C's reservoirs in my files, but I'll keep looking. Anyone know the answer to that?

[Jamo]

There's no rhyme or reason if they've been used over the years...note Smith's No. 198 below. He obviously gave up on them damn pot metal things after awhile.

Yes...stock is black, but any seepage will screw it up. I finally gave up and went with Kirkham's arruminum ones, which could be painted or coated. They look identical and there won't be any problem with the seams splitting. I also gave up on the POS Girling caps, and went with Wildwood black plastic caps, which look like the Girlings but don't leak, get bent, etc. I keep the Girling caps for any shows, etc.

[Sal Gerace]

Maybe that's why owners chromed them. So they would not have to deal with the paint coming off any time you dripped fluid on them. Will powder coating hold up any better?

[Jamo]

Sal, my guess is that the coating won't curdle, but it'll stain.

I figured the bare arruminum looked more "natural" than chrome...works for me anyway. Got tired of taking the old ones off and repainting them every year. My cans never really leaked, but a little seepage in the heat was all it took to screw it up.

[Sal Gerace]

Makes sence Jamo. Thanks guys!

[PaulProe]

Will the two part (epoxy?) caliper paints hold up to paint the reservoirs black?

Paul

[Robert Beede]

I know that the early cars had Black paint on the Resevoirs. One has to be careful when you mess with this little cans, cause all you do is create more problems for yourself. Case in point..chroming. Chroming the outside strips the tin from the inside. Tinning is the most corrossion resistant surface to guard against rust forming in the fluid reservoir. And, the inside of the reservoir can not be tinned commercially without dipping the canister back into etching fluids which take the outside chrome off.

The only way I found to recoat the inside with Tin and keep the outside chromed was to turn the inside of the reservior into the reaction vessel for the tinning process, and make its surface the proper charge for tin deposition.

I do not know what trials one experiences with powder coating. The can has to reach a temperature of about 350 degrees, right? At what temperature does the solder sealing the seam and the bottom fitting melt?

Anyway, Those are my thoughts, and I hope they have some value!

Bob

[Jim Maxwell]

Here is a photo of the reservoir of CSX 2149, an unrestored very early 289 Cobra. AS Mr. Beede states, early Cobra= black painted reservoir.

[kris-kincaid]

Sal,

The powder coater I use here in town applied a coating to a set of reservoirs for me that is indestructible. I put brake fluid on a sample and let it sit for a couple of days, and it didn't hurt the finish. The color I used was satin black, but he might have other colors.

http://www.ramproline.com/

[Rick 427 Cobra]

I tried powder coating (400') but it melted the solder and ruined the cans. I would like to know about the calipher paint myself.

[kris-kincaid]

Rick, Ram Proline didn't actually powder coat the cans I sent them, they applied some sort of tough paint. Whatever it was, it works out great!

[hi-tech cobra]

It sounds like POR-15 or the POR chassis paint. Extremely tough stuff.